


TUA prompts

by Lemin_Gay



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Ben Hargreeves is Dead, Clean cut, DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAVVVVE, Dave (Umbrella Academy) is Alive, Dave is his rock, Diego feels guilty, Domestic Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Good Brother Ben Hargreeves, Hurt Diego Hargreeves, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Insecurity, It's not safe to assume things, Just y'all I really love Dave, Klaus is chaotic, Luther Hargreeves Being an Asshole, Nothing is the only right answer, Pre-Canon, Self-Esteem Issues, Sick Klaus Hargreeves, Stuttering Diego Hargreeves, The Author Regrets Nothing, What more could a chaotic man like Klaus ask for, as he should, he's a good man
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-24
Updated: 2019-06-30
Packaged: 2020-05-19 00:26:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19345789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lemin_Gay/pseuds/Lemin_Gay
Summary: Send me prompts y'all. Can be anything, just don't make it weird for me lol. I don't do heavy descriptions of emeto or self harm, but mentions of both. I do do NSFW but rarely, so only ask for it if its something you really want done and like my writing style enough to ask. I personally keep ships canon compliant (Klave, Eudego, Delorive,Haznes, and Alluther) any other ships will be considered but I try to stay away from pseudo incest. Im dyslexic so please bare with the errors. They get fixed over time.





	1. Chapter 1

Send me prompts y'all. Can be anything, just don't make it weird for me lol. I don't do heavy descriptions of emeto or self harm, but mentions of both. I do do NSFW but rarely, so only ask for it if its something you really want done and like my writing style enough to ask. I personally keep ships canon compliant (Klave, Eudego, Delorive,Haznes, and Alluther) any other ships will be considered but I try to stay away from pseudo incest.

Please respond in the comments or on my Tumblr @a-very-sour-guy or dm me on Instagram @lemon_gay


	2. The things we promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaus goes walking out in the rain, his family thinks he's high, but Dave knows there is more there than what it seems. Dave comes to teach Klaus a valuable lesson about himself and his insecurities. Prompt request from supernaturalsamw819

Klaus meandered slowly and silently into the livingroom, pulling his jacket off of the coat hanger. He slipped it over his arms, feeling the pockets for a pack of smokes, a hit off of a little something, money, anything really. It was two in the morning, an hour from the witching hour when things got too loud for Klaus to handle. He patted the lining of his coat desperately, finding a half pack of cigarettes. He groaned quietly, not satisfied with the find, but thinking a walk would make due. He looked around the livingroom for a moment, finding a familiar vase, and bit the inside of his cheek. It had been a while. He was clean....and had been for a good while. Damn near four months. He waltzed over to it, dumping out the faux flower contents and finding a small bag of white powder he'd double bagged at the bottom. His breath hitched upon seeing it fall into his hand. He held it where it was, stuck in his chest like a twisted cog in an old clock. He pocket it and slipped on a pair of braided sandles, not exactly appropriate for the rainy weather outside, but it wasn't like he gave any actual fucks about his well-being at the moment if he was seeking out drugs to calm his nerves. Honestly Klaus was just sick of himself. Sick of this internal struggle he'd always had. He though having Dave around would make things better, and they did...for a while. But...

"Once an addict always an addict." Klaus spoke quietly to himself as he slip out the door for a walk. He didn't bother with the umbrella. He just wanted to feel alive anyways. It was hard to distinguish sometimes. Was he really living though? Did he even care if he was? Ben followed him tightly, keeping quiet trying to sort out what he wanted to say and how he wanted to say it first. He sucked a deep breath in and Klaus hushed him.

"I know Ben. You don't have to say it. I fucking know."

"Then why?"

"I....I can't. I can't talk to you, okay? This isn't about anything. Not anything I'm willing to tell you anyways."

"Not...not willing to tell me? Klaus I've been your best friend and closest guardian for the last ten years. There's nothing I don't know...isnt there? There's nothing you can't tell me." Klaus stopped walking, pulling his hand down wide across his face. He looked rough. Like he hadn't been sleeping or eating. To Ben's concern, he hadnt. Not that he had seen anyways. It had been a long time since he'd seen Klaus like this. 

"There's lots I don't tell you Ben. There's lots about me you might understand all too well and it scares me and I don't want to fucking talk with you about it." Klaus shifted uncomfortably, crossing his arms, his hair was dampening with the rain as he walked, making him look gaunt and even more miserable.

"What do you mean by that, Klaus? I literally haven't missed anything you've said or done in the last ten years." Klaus looked at him like he wanted him to just fucking drop it. His eyes hurt and annoyed by Ben's pestering." Just... You know what... I'm not going to watch you destroy yourself Klaus. Not again. Not this time. I'll be waiting for you back at the house. Okay? Make the right choice. Because I can't make it for you. You have a much better foundation to work from than me anyways." Ben put his hands up, backing away a few steps before disappearing entirely. Klaus turned his face up towards the sky, letting the rain his his face for a few minutes before pulling out a smoke and lighting it as he continued walking in the rain. He felt a pang of guilt bubbling in his stomach. He was such a fuck up. Not even Ben wanted anything to do with him anymore. Now that he was sober and able to keep Ben around when the guy wanted, he never really spent much time around Klaus. Especially since he'd died and crossed the vail with Dave in tow. Dave was adjusting to life in 2019 as best as you can imagine he was. He had old man tendencies but an earnest eagerness to learn that Klaus thought was adorable. Bringing him back was a challenge, but he'd made it work. Ben on the other hand wasn't interested in coming back. He likes living in the quietness of the void that came along with death. He spent a lot of time in the Good Place and had found peace in just visitations. Klaus still missed having him around though. This felt indescribably lonely as of recent. Klaus stopped walking, not being able to distinguish the wetness on his face as tears or the rain. One burned hotter in his chest than the other. He reached in his pocket with shaking hands, falling onto his knees on the concrete, subsequently scratching them through his ripped skinny jeans. He huffed out a languid sob ripping open the bag and dumping it onto the wet ground. He rubbed it into the concrete with his hands, crying angrily. 

"You never fucking did anything for me, ya know? Despite how badly I crave you, and how I know you're going to be the one lover I can't fucking get over, you ruined my life. I...I ruined my life. I thought I needed you because of how fucked up my life had been, but it was always the other way around wasn't it? Wasn't it..... I'm done.... I'm done...okay? I don't need you anymore. I don't want this anymore. I'm just done." Klaus wiped his nose on the back of his wet coat jacket. He shivered, absolutely drenched in the cold autumn rain. He closed his eyes, standing up and dusting his hands off on his pants as he pulled a breath into his lungs and turned on his heel to make his way back to the academy. There were so many things running through his head all at once. The subsequent loss of the only thing that could make things quiet for the night. The fact the only reason he'd come out here was because Dave was back and he didn't need to stay sober anymore since he'd always seen Ben around. The fact that it wasn't the quiet that was taunting him to go back and lick up what he'd just dumped on the ground, but the high itself and that he still had a problem. There were drugs all over the house. But there were siblings all over the house now too. Klaus looked at the gate with readable hatred in his face as Luther stood at the door, scowling at Klaus in disgust. Klaus had red rings around his eyes, didn't care about the rain, and looked Spacey and off in his own world. As far as Luther was concerned he was probably high. 

"Get in the house." He barked. Klaus flinched, moving at the orders without hesitation. A small part of him waiting to hear "soldier" afterwards. Anytime anyone was even somewhat authoritative with him these days, he'd comply without a second guess. Some habits die hard. Doing what he was told was one of them, albeit out of fear. He made it inside the house still shivering, absolutely soaked to the bone, he pulled off his coat, throwing it in the floor next to the door, bracing himself for the barating that Luther was about to dish him. He squinted his eyes together hard, tucking his chin to his shoulder.

"What the hell were you doing out in the rain at two thirty in the morning? And don't try to say it was nothing. Any time you're out this late it's no good Klaus. So what was it this time? Drugs?" Ah. There it is. Klaus opened his mouth to answer, just looking at Luther for a moment before tightening his jaw and pressing his mouth into a firm frown. Tears threatened the corners of his eyes. He didn't have to answer to Luther, but his look of disappointment said everything Klaus needed to know. He wasn't going to believe him if he said no. 

"Does it matter? I can do what I want and be where I want when I want. I'm an adult."

"Then grow up and act like one Klaus. We're not going to keep trying to help you if every promise you make is as empty as the last. You know...I thought that at least having Dave here would be enough initiative for you to get your act together, but you're derailed. It's hopeless unless YOU figure out which track you're on." Luther threw a towel hard at Klaus, who flinched again before pressing it gently into his hair, then over his face, holding it there as Luther walked away. He stood alone in the doorway with the towel over his face for a solid minute before letting out a quiet sob into the fabric. 

God he was a fuck up wasn't he. He spent so much of his life screwing himself and everyone around him over he didn't even need to bother trying to make them believe he could change. They would never believe him. 

"Klaus.." Ben called, leaning on a pillar. He pushed himself off it, walking over as he stared at the ground. "I hate to say it but he's right. You really gotta figure this out. You know what you want. Just... Set a goal and stick with it and we'll figure this out."

"Get the FUCK out of my face." Klaus pulled the towel down wiping off his tears and nose. "Neither of you even remotely know what it's like to be ME. so get the FUCK out of my face."

Ben scoffed shaking his head. "Its like you don't even remember."

"Remember what, Ben? The fact that I can't cop the fuck out of this shitty existance whenever I decide and mosey onto my own nice little corner of the void. Unfortunately I don't get the fucking option to die like YOU did." Klaus regretted what he'd said as soon as he said it. Ben stood shocked with his jaw slack. He released a huff of air.

"I can't believe you Klaus." Ben disappeared into Oblivion for the second time that night. Klaus tilted his head back, still teary eyed, sighing into the empty foyer. He trudged off to his room without much symbolance of feeling, half dissociated from the whole ordeal. He wished he would have saved the drugs. He found Dave sound asleep, snoring peaceful where he'd left him. Dave didn't sleep often, but he'd always slept deeply, especially these days when he'd often forget it was something someone with a body needed to do. Klaus didn't want to wake him by changing or climbing into bed, pulling a blanket off of his bed and heading back to the livingroom to crash on the couch for the night.

 

 

Diego lazily stretched as he got up from his slumber, feeling refreshed and ready for his day. Diego was a late nighter, but pretty easy going in the mornings as long as he god his egg and coffee. He found himself humming and dancing in front of the fridge when Luther appeared at his side. He stood up, cracking the egg directly into his mouth. Luther looked at him, disgusted. "I will never get used to that." Diego swallowed. Luther shuttered. "Regardless...we need to talk."

"No nuhuh nope. I'm *not* about to let you ruin my morning." Diego shook his head, walking over the the pot of coffee with his mug

"It's about *Klaus*." Luther voice dripped with malice. Diego could tell he was pissed the hell off. He stopped pouring his coffee, setting it down and turning around to lean against the counter with his arms and legs crossed. "Alright big guy. Talk to me."

"He went out and got high last night." Diego's heart dropped down into his stomach.

"He's been clean. Almost four months."

"Well.... Not anymore. So what do we do? I'm done trying to help him."

"We gotta get it through to him he can't keep doing this. He going to fucking end up killing himself." The both looked at eachother in silence for a few seconds. 

"He's passed out on the couch now."

"Hmmmm who is?" Dave entered the kitchen with messed up hair in nothin but a baggy pair of silky drawstring pajamas. He rubbed his eye with his hand, yawning deeply. 

"Dave... You may want to sit down." Diego looked at the table as Luther cleared his throat. 

"Are you aware that Klaus was out last night?" Dave tilted his head shaking it a little.

"I assumed he just got tired of me snoring. It's his fault really. He broke my nose headbutting me during a training exercise."

"Dave Dave.. listen this isn't about that. This is important. Klaus went out and got high last night." Dave shifted looking in between the two of them quickly for confirmation. They both looked deathly serious. 

"You're yankin my chain here guys. This is a real gas. Klaus has been clean for-"

"-four months...we know." Luther interjected, pressing his finger and thumb to the bridge of his nose in frustration. "We're going to host an intervention... NOW." Luther stormed off towards the stairs, heading for the living room. Dave and Diego quickly followed behind him. Dave held his arms, looking at the floor in thought as they walked. Whatever happens he knew he needed to be there for Klaus. He knew his side of things. The reasons why he'd do things like this. He wondered how he didn't see it building up. Was he that stupid? That blind? Had he just spent too much time away from him? He seemed different around his siblings. Almost more tense than being at war....almost. Dave didn't really feel like thinking about the war at this moment. He had a feeling Luther was going to try to turn this into one. Luther stomped into the living room, pulling the covers off of Klaus. He shoved his head into his arms as his eyes came in contact with the light. He squinted hard, trying to make out the hazy blobs that stood in front of him. 

"Wha-"

"Klaus. Wake the hell up we need to talk." Klaus blinked a few more times, trying to process what was happening all but managing to say another equally as confused, "what?" Klaus sat up slowly, the world tilting on its axis. Klaus pulled his head back a little, trying to focus on the large blood in the middle so things would stop feeling like he was on a boat, because last he remembered this was dry land and he had no reason to feel so seasick.

"Good morning sunshine. Where we're you last night?" Diego crossed his arms angrily. For the moment, Dave observed, trying to get some insight on the family so he better knew how to approach this.

"This 'gain?" Klaus slurred. It sounded like he was trying to talk underwater almost. A pounding pounding had settled in the front of his head near his temples. He placed two fingers there to rub in circles on each side.

"YES KLAUS. This again." Luther's voice boomed, causing Klaus to recede in on himself a little. He pulled his legs up to his chest.

"What?"

"My GOD Klaus. Are you still fucking high?" Diego hipped, grabbing a small flashlight out of his utility belt. He walked over shining it in Klaus' eyes. He squinted, shoving Diego away. Diego scoffed. "His eyes are red.... Totally bloodshot. He's probably higher than a kite as we speak."

Klaus sure would agree if he didn't feel so shitty. Maybe...maybe he was coming down? He wasn't sure. He couldn't be sure of anything. He couldn't even see really. Everything was so loud and he could see and he couldn't hear and was it hot in here. It was hot in here. Or was it cold. He couldn't be sure of anything really. He was probably high.

"I can't believe you Klaus. You know... You're a real piece of work."

"Hey. Dont talk to my boyfriend like that." Dave squared his shoulders, not afraid of Luther in the slightest. "Did it ever occurr to you he probably has no idea what the hell is happening right now? We just woke him up and started asking him twenty questions without even a second to process any of it. Even if he is high, we should at least give him the damn benefit of the doubt."

"I's fine D've." Klaus' tongue felt heavy in his mouth. Actually on second though his whole body felt heavy. And hot..and cold... And sweaty. He had to be coming down, right? "They're prob'ly right. I dunno. Prob'ly." Klaus waved his hand, his stomach turned with the room. He closed his eyes, gripping onto the couch for dear life so he didn't feel like he was going to float away. Dave turned his head a little, hesitantly. He looked to Diego and Luther with a concerned sense of 'what if it were something else'. Dave KNEW Klaus. Probably better than any person on the planet. He'd seen him high. This was similar but mm not right. He never looked...this bad. Dave took a few steps forward, crouching down to Klaus eye level, who still had his eyes firmly squeezed shut as he swayed in place. "Klaus?" He opened his glassy, red eyes looking at Dave, but not really completely seeing him. "Do you remember taking anything last night. Be honest." Klaus closed his eyes again, thinking hard for a few moments before leaning forward onto Dave's shoulder. Dave huffed at the sudden weight on his shoulder, shaking him a little by his shoulders. "Klaus answer my question...Klaus...KLAUS." Klaus fell towards the side, not waking up when Dave had shook his shoulders. Dave caught him, pulling him to the ground. "I knew the bastard wasn't high. He always gets like this and never tells anyone before it's too late to do anything about it." Dave pressed a hand to Klaus' cheek then forhead. "He's on fire.

"It was raining last night...." Luther said in realization. He suddenly felt like the biggest scumbag on the face of the planet. Diego punched him in the arm as hard as he could. "You didn't bother telling me Klaus was out in the RAIN, asshole. His immune system is fucking shot. You can't let him do stuff like that these days."

"Guys cool it, someone needs to run an ice bath NOW. I can't get him to wake up and there's no way this fever is at a safe temperature right now. If he were in the trenches we'd be sending him back in a body bag." Dave scooped the limp Klaus up into his strong protective arms, following Diego, who gave Luther a death glare scary enough to make anyone stay the hell in their lane. He left them be, going to wallow in his shame until he could come up with a solid enough of an apology.

 

Diego ran the bath as cold as possible, letting Dave know that he'd be back with a bag of ice and to not wait for him since the water was cold and Klaus wasn't looking too great at the time being. Dave pulled off Klaus' thin tank top and skinny jeans, lifting him and placing him into the tub in one fell swoop. Klaus wasn't coming back. Not right away. He was taking his sweet time which was making Dave very nervous, but he did eventually start to stir as the shivering settled in. He wined something about all the ghosts and how he wanted out. It was a familiar story Dave had heard before. He wished he could erase the memory all together from Klaus' mind. 

"D-d-d-dad, l-l-let m-me out-t-t. Pll-l-lease Dad. P-please." Klaus begged weakly, just above a high pitched whisper. Dave shushed Klaus, getting his hands wet and combing them through Klaus' dark hair. "I want out. I w-w-wanna g-go h-home."

"It's okay Klaus. You're already home. Shh. I've got you. Do you remember what happened?" Klaus' eyes still looked foggy, but they made contact with Dave's and he knew he saw him. He sighed shakily, weakly bobbing his head back and forth. "Nnnn-n-n-o."

"You went out for a little walk in the rain last night and caught something. Diego and Luther thought you went off to do drugs.... You have a fever and just passed out and now we're trying to cool you down."

"I'm n-not h-h-high?" Dave shook his head. "G-g-groovy." Dave chuckled a little, his face still stern with concern and care. He continued to wet his hands, cooling off Klaus face and head as Diego came back with ice and dumped it into the bath. Klaus shook more and instantly started crying as he curled forward on himself with his arms wrapped around his torso. Diego kneeled down and tried to rub Klaus' back, but he pulled away. "Y-y-y-you th-thought... I was h-high?" Klaus sounded hurt and it broke Diego's heart. He looked at Dave, asking him if he had this. Dave nodded. "Klaus. I'm sorry. We can talk about it when you're feeling better. I'm going to leave you be for now okay?" Diego set down a thermometer and some fever reducers on the granite countertop of the bathroom, lifting his eyebrow at Dave.  
Klaus nodded, wiping his eye with a cold, wet hand. Diego took that as his que to slip out. "Let's keep you in here for a few more minutes and then I'll check your temperature. I honestly don't even want to know what it was before. Jesus." Klaus just shivered and continued crying, looking completely miserable. "Say Klaus...why were you out there in the first place?" Klaus looked down into the water, ashamed. They were right about his intentions. That didn't make him any less shitty. Klaus rubbed under his nose sniffling a little. "Y-you'll be mmmad."

"Trust me Klaus. You know I'm the last person that would be mad at you over things you can't control. I just... I want to talk with you about it. Not lecture you. I love you. I'm not here to judge or berate you. Just...understand. I want to know my partner better." Klaus swallowed thickly. "Please?"

"I want out first." Dave nodded and the two waited in awkward, yet comfortable silence until Dave felt like anything longer would be dangerous. He pulled Klaus out of the bath, setting him on the floor in case he passed out again and toweled him off carefully, scrunching his curly hair gently. It honestly amazed Klaus how gently a man could be with him. Dave was a lot of firsts for him. Bit honestly a first true comfort for him. He's leaves forward onto him and he felt Dave deathgrip his shoulders, afraid he'd passed out again. "Still awake. Jus' wanted to be close." Dave sighed in relief, pulling his arms around Klaus. "I'm gonna carry you to your room, okay." Klaus nodded and let himself be houses up for a second time, wrapping his arms around Dave's neck as he carried him through the halls to his room. Dave gently laid Klaus out on his bed, pulling off his wet boxers without much discretion. They were alone and it wasn't like they hadn't seen eachother make before. Klaus sat up insisting he could put pants on by himself. Dave shook his head, but let him do it anyways, keeping a hand close to catch him if he fell. He didn't trust Klaus' legs to hold him up at the moment. As soon as the two had settled in, Klaus laying on top of Dave with his head on his chest, the conversation started where it left off. "I was out because I wanted to get high. I'm not going to lie to you about it."

"Did you?"

"No. I actually rubbed it all into the ground."

"Im proud of you."

"What?"

"Im proud of you."

"Dave I literally went out to get high as balls last night-"

"Well did you?"

"N-no.."

"Then I'm proud of you."

Klaus pressed his mouth into a tight stright line, unable to process what Dave had just said. Tears started filling his eyes again. "N....no one's ever said that to me before." Dave sat up a little, fuck if he couldn't cry himself after hearing that. He tucked some hair behind Klaus' ear, caressing the back of his neck with his hand. "Klaus..." Dave didn't know what to say. He knew Klaus' family life was strained to say the least, but he'd never really had anyone tell him they were proud of him... That wasn't fair. Damn that wasn't fair.

"Dave I'm sorry. You have to put up with me so much and.. and you shouldn't be proud and I'm sorry."

"Klaus, baby boy, please, just listen to me here for a second. You haven't done anything wrong here." Klaus felt inconsolable. 

"Of course I have. All I ever do is fuck up and make life harder for everyone else just by being around."

"That's not true, Love. You know it's not."

"Dave I'm even the reason you're dead. I went back in time and fucked up the entire timeline. Five tells me every chance he can get."

"KLAUS. Now you stop this. Right now. Look at me." Klaus pushed his face into Dave's chest. Dave reached down with a tender hand, pulling his chin up towards him. "Look at me Klaus."

"You're not a fuck up. You've made mistakes and tried to make things stop hurting, but you only ever hurt yourself because no one else was there for you enough to see that you were struggling. That is NOT your fault. You didn't fuck everything up. I'm here and alive because of you. I love you and I'm endlessly proud of all of the efforts you've made to make your life better. You were driving yourself into the ground. I see you. Not what you want everyone else to see, but you. I see you. And I'm not going anywhere because i love you and care about you and I'm proud of you, okay. Don't ever question that. You're not a burden to me. You never will be. Ever. So tell me. What was on your mind last night?"

"I.... I wanted to die and I thought it would be better to be high then dead. I don't really know why I felt like that. It's always been there. I'd....I'd tried before but God always sends me back... I just guess. I always saw it as an option out since....since Ben." Klaus' voice wavered at his brother's name. "I found him in my room, he still had the hand around my Vicodin bottle. I had just bought it and it was...empty. I told everyone he'd died violently and alone... They assumed it was some sort of mission and I never corrected them, but it had always been on my mind since then...it just never worked. I'm... I've got nothing going for me. Even sobriety has its pitfalls. I'm more awake to all the shit now than ever. I shake. I see things that happened to me when I was little. I'm insecure and anxious as fuck all the time.... I get shellshock and all while wearing a face of nothingness because if I show any of it I'm weak and annoying and just need to get over it. We're all fucked up, Klaus. We all have trauma, and none of us do drugs Klaus. You're ruining your life and I won't be surprised if I find you dead in the gutter next week. I don't blame them for thinking that way. Our...our dad was really abusive. Really really abusive. I didn't realize it until after I moved out and went through my first round of rehab and therapy. After that....I didn't want to realize it and I turned to drugs as my first option of a way out. I didn't want to feel anything at all. I didn't want to face any of it because if I did then that meant it was real and actually happened and isn't some fucked up thought that I live with... Who... Who locks a six year old in a mausoleum for days on end? Who?" Dave rubbed his fingers gently through Klaus' hair, absorbing all of this as best as he could. His knowledge of psychology was dated so he really was going off of what he believed in his heart what Klaus wanted to hear.

"I get what you mean. At least about the shellshock thing and not wanting to remember. I think it's important that you're awake though, so now you can process it. You're not alone anymore....and I don't think you're weak. If anything. Sobering up. Healing. Doing what you're doing right now...that's the bravest, strongest thing a man can do. Men don't like to ever admit there is anything wrong. Even when there is. And something is wrong Klaus. Please....promise me.... Pinky promise me that if you ever feel like that again you will come find me. It will be just like old times in the trenches. If anything happens come find me." Dave held out his pinky waiting for the return, which came after a second of hesitation. "I love you Klaus."

"I love you more Dave."

"The hell you do.... Why don't you get some sleep? Huh? You're probably exhausted. I'll keep watch." Klaus sighed, relaxing into Dave, feeling like a huge stone had been taken off his shoulders. He closed his eyes, feeling his fingers tangle their way through his hair, and for the first time in a long time felt like a complete person. Like things were going to be okay.


	3. Diego's no good, very bad, awful awful day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I forgot about the wee woo car thing post edit, but I'm leaving it in because it makes me laugh.

"Hello?" Eudora lifted her phone to her ear, a familiar number flashed across the screen. It was probably work, considering she was currently on the clock. An equally as familiar voice mumbled something out quietly through his teeth. 

"Diego, why are you calling from the jailhouse phone?" She asked curiously, a tone of slight annoyance and confusion in her voice.

"I need...you.. to bail m.. me out." Diego was treading lightly over his words, speaking more clearly and carefully. There was a hesitant shaking in his voice, that was clear he was trying to hide. Mostly he sounded angry. Very angry. Maybe a bit of frustrated, too. "My fuckhead brother's already out. But…. I lost my cool."

Patch huffed and shook her head, thumping her hand against the steering wheel of her squad car. "Are you fucking kidding me, Diego? You know that shit goes against your record right? You're already in deep enough shit with the DA after that shootout at the drug bust last week." Diego sighed into the phone. Patch was pretty sure she'd heard him punch something on the other end of the line, sighing out as she rubbed her forehead. "I'm on my way. Just hang tight, okay?"

Diego nodded, realizing she probably couldn't see him. "Y-yeah...okay……...please hurry?" He asked with a lilt of desperation.

"Yeah yeah. I'll turn on my lights." Patch looked across her dash, flipping the switch to her wee woo car as she pulled a quick U-turn and sped diligently towards the local jailhouse.

It didn't take her long to get where she needed. Patch got shit done. That was something she could always rely on, her ability to get shit done the way it was supposed to get done. She stomped angrily into the jailhouse, posting bail for her dumbass boyfriend. She bit the inside of her cheek, taking a seat and waiting on his sorry ass. She was absolutely going to tear him a new one for this. She had more important things to do than wait for him to get his temper back in check. This was ridiculous. The longer she waited the more she seethed as well, knowing he was likely stewing just as much, and what this would turn into. Either way he was sleeping on the damn couch when they got home. She wasn't exactly sure when she had fallen asleep in the uncomfortable waiting chair that she'd planted herself in, but a few hours later, an exhausted and bruised Diego rounded the corner, looking naked without his usual get up and out of place in the small front room of the building. He hugged his arms around himself, his eyes falling to the floor avoidantly. He chewed his lip nervously, his face expressionless and his eyes red. 

"Get your shit so we can go home." Patch barked, not bothering to really look at Diego more than she needed to. Diego tightened his features, remaining silent.. She was as pissed as he thought she'd be. He was tired, and didn't really want to hear what he already knew, but knew it was coming as soon as they were alone. He could always count on Dora to hell him how she was feeling... exactly how she was feeling. Diego shuffled to the desk, grabbing his box of knives and leather straps and doing them up as quick as he could so he didn't feel so vulnerable and exposed. He glanced back at Patch who gestured at him to hurry the fuck up. He nodded quickly and shortly, tucking his chin back down as he finished placing everything he'd come with back in their respective places on his body. Turning on his heel, he met Eudora at the door, still tucking his arms around himself. She yawned and pushed it open, taking no time to get to her car. All she honestly wanted was to just to be in bed… alone. Diego climbed into the passenger seat, closing the door, leaning his head against the window frame. He looked out his window, trying to distract himself from the shameful feeling that was settling like a boulder in his stomach. Patch climbed in quietly after him, starting the car, but not moving. She ran her tongue over the back of her teeth, popping her tongue quietly with a tilt of her head. Oh yeah...she was pissed. Diego sunk deeper into his seat. 

"Ya know, Diego…." She paused, blinking slowly, "I put up with a LOT of shit at work and the last thing I want is to bring it home with me. I keep hoping and praying that you'll get back on the right track, but the longer I'm with you, the more I wonder if you're not just... digging yourself in a deeper hole because you don't know any different." Diego turned his shoulder away from her, facing further out the window, still not saying anything. "And I get it… you know I do. I know what your family is like and I know how you were raised and everything, but the law is still the law and you are just as responsible for your actions as everyone else. You're not a superhero… you're a cop. You should honestly be held at a higher standard of the law than anyone else… and I don't think it's hard, Diego. I really really don't. You can change. You don't have to keep screwing yourself over. You're the only person responsible for getting yourself in trouble like this. It's not like you don't know and…. Are you even listening to me?" Diego looked at her with just his eyes for just a split moment and nodded, he slinked down a little further, tilting his seat back a little. "So what's this then? The silent treatment?" Diego shrugged one shoulder lazily in response. If that's what she wanted to think, then he'd let her. It was another hurdle he hadn't met Eudora with yet. He just wasn't ready, and equally as unsure how to tell her about his disability. It was massive insecurity he didn't have time for, nor the emotional availability. He wanted to be seen as a threat and it wasn't exactly intimidating to have a stutter. His stress levels, and exhaustion usually made things worse, but getting berated by his girlfriend had made things definite. He could barely sort through his thoughts at the moment. Thinking of the words he needed to say was too much work when he felt like his heart was beating out of his chest and he wanted to shrink down into nothing but an invisible speck. Patch scoffed, shaking her head.

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me, Diego? What are you...like six?" Patch, just punched the steering wheel with the ball of her hand before getting fed up and putting the car into reverse, pulling out of the lot. 

 

 

"You fought another cop. Why?" Diego shrugged again. 

"Will you STOP that? Like really. God. It's like talking to a wall. Why do you always do this? Any time anything gets hard you just refuse to talk and avoid me. I WILL lock you in this damn car until you talk to me. You're acting so immature. I didn't sign up for this. If I wanted to be with a six year old, I'd get a teaching degree. Like really. Just… UGH…just TALK to me." Diego was getting more and more anxious and frustrated the more she yelled at him. It honestly made him want to just tuck and roll out of the car, but he knew that wouldn't exactly stop her. She could easily hunt his ass down. He squinted his eyes shut, pinching the bridge of his nose. He pulled a leg up onto the dash, pressing his boot into the leather. 

"I really can't believe you sometimes. I don't know why I expect anything less from a Hargreeves. Your brother can't even stay out of jail, your sister is a tabloid mess, and you can’t do a thing that you're told. Hey Diego, please wear the uniform. Nope. Hey Diego, stay out of trouble. Nope can't do that. Hey Diego, please for the love of God talk to me. Nope can't do that either. This… this is exactly why my friends keep telling me to leave you." Diego felt the boulder in his stomach gain about twenty pounds in the matter of a second. He drew half a breath in, completing it in broken segments.

"I c-ca-c-c-ca-ant-c-cant." Diego was trying. He was trying so hard. He just couldn't say what he wanted to say.

"Oh so now we're going to play this game too." Patch laughed angrily, shaking her head. "You're such a fucking child, Diego."

"Sh-sh-shu-shu-shu." Diego huffed in frustration, feeling tears threatening the corners of his eyes. "Shu- shut..shut uh-up." Patch's face fell a little, scrunching her eyebrows together. 

"M-my my my my f-fam-fam-family i-iiiii-is n-n-none none none none…." Diego drew a large breath in, his face twisted in frustration and anger, tears streaming. He wasn't faking. Fuck, he wasn't faking. 

"Diego… Diego, babe calm down." Patch tried not to take her eyes off the road, glancing over in concern.

"D-d-do-don’t f-f-f-fu-fucking tell tell tell tell m-me tocalmdown." Diego rubbed under his eyes, smacking his hands against his legs. He was honestly just seething, mostly at himself. He couldn't keep his cool after all and showing this side of himself only made her more right in his eyes. He leaned forward with his head against the dash, dropping his foot forcefully to the floor. He released a quiet sob, trying to hold it in, but ultimately failing.

"... Diego. Listen… I… I didn't know… I didn't mean…" Patch was trying to pick her words carefully. " I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to… make light of this. I thought you were just being an asshole." She pulled into the driveway of their home, turning off the car and immediately turning to him. She placed a hand on his back, and he shoved it off. 

"D-d-do-..." He decided it wasn't worth the effort. He just needed to breath. He wanted his mom. It was rare he wished he was back at the academy, but now was definitely one of those times. He just wanted his mom. Patch didn't hesitate to try again, pressing her hand wide against his back. She rubbed gently in circles.

"Just breathe okay. Breathe." Diego had really worked himself up in his own frustration with himself. He sucked in a heavy breath of air, it breaking with another sob. God and now he probably looked like a little bitch who couldn't handle the criticism, too. It wasn't that he couldn't, everything was just layered and he was tired and overwhelmed and had just spent the last ten hours locked in a room with half the people that he'd put in there himself. It was a nightmare and he just wanted to go home and be with his girlfriend and she was reasonably pissed the hell off at him, so the likelihood of that happening was next to none. Thoughts zipped around his head as he tried to focus on just getting air into his lungs at a normal pace.

"There we go.. Fuck, Diego, why didn't you tell me? Do you know how many arguments we've had that could’ve ended sooner if I knew you LITERALLY couldn't talk to me?"

"S-s-s-sc-sc-sca-scared." Diego's voice was quiet and shaky, coming across to himself as weak. He hated the way it sounded. There honestly wasn't much about his voice that he'd liked.

"Diego, I'm your girlfriend. We've been together for damn near four years. There's nothing you can't tell me. I love you, I wouldn’t leave you or make fun of you over something you have no control over."

"B-bu-but, y-y-y-your f-friends w-w-want-.."

"-I just said that because I was mad, Babe, I didn't mean it." Diego looked at her like he knew it wasn't true, his eyes rimmed red and dewy with his tears. He wasn't going to fight it. He was honestly too tired to. Diego slowly unbuckled, sore from getting his ass beat multiple times that day, but also from the emotional beating he'd just received as well. He swallowed thickly, leaning back in his seat before opening the door and climbing out.

"Don't think I'm done just because you can't talk to me. We need to talk about this. What was this all about?"

"K-k-k-" Diego sighed, stopping in the middle of their walkway. He closed his eyes, picturing his brothers face and the spelling of his name in his head. "-Klaus." He managed to say successfully.

"He really can't stay out of trouble can he?" Patch sighed. 

"N-no...h-he he he c-cant." Diego was trying really hard to focus. Each word flashing in front of him in his mind. "But...h-he's m-my b-br-r-r-bro-brother. I….just ...w-want… to h-help h-h-him." Patch nodded in understanding, crossing her arms as they went inside.

"I understand Diego, but he's the kind of guy that you can't help. He's gotta help himself before you can." Diego sighed, falling back onto the couch. Patch went into their kitchen, grabbing a bag of peas and their only ice pack before heading back to him quickly. She crouched down in front of him, unlacing his shoes after handing him one of the packs and pointing to his face. "The peas are for the shiner."

"Oh." Diego set the bag against his face, tilting his head back as he looked at the ceiling. Patch pulled off one of his shoes, stopping to look up at him. "You do know that..right? That you can't always just rush in and save everyone all the time? Diego... someone could end up getting hurt...god forbid it's you."

"I c-c-aan t-ttt-try. I can a-always try. And i-if I g-g-g-....if I g-get hurt...s-so be it."

Patch sighed deeply, closing her eyes in discomposure. "Babe…" She let it go when he tensed up, not wanting to push him more than she really had. She'd said way more hurtful things tonight than she had in a long while. Patch and Diego both were passionate people. Both were also hot headed in an argument and not exactly afraid to cut throats. She wasn't going to apologize more than she had either. Honestly she just wanted him to relax at home now. He was still sleeping on this fucking couch though. She moved on to pulling off his other shoe. "So what exactly set you off in the first place? I get why you were there, but that doesn't even begin to explain why you were arrested." 

"F-fuckhead cop w-w-was getting u-uuh-up in m-my face about Klaus. C-calling h-h-him n-names."

"Why didn't you just file a report? You know we would have taken care of it."

"W-why rep-p-p-port when y-you have f-f-f-fists?"

Patch sighed shaking her head as she stood up, placing the other ice pack against his shoulder. She straddled his lap a little, leaning over him so he was looking at her face instead of the ceiling. "Because your fists turn you into an idiot who doesn't know when to stop. A report would have made you seem like significantly less of an asshole and now that guy probably isn't going to get fired since you were the one that got arrested. It didn't solve anything."

"But it f-f-felt go-good."

"That's something you're going to have to get over, Diego. You can't always beat up the bad guy like you could when you were a kid."

".....I know.. I kn-know. I-i-i-it's j-just that it s-seems right."

"And I get that. I really do, but I don't want you to end up with a bullet in you because you decided to let your temper push you into rushing in head first, ya know? I just love you okay?"

"Y-yeah babydoll.. okay. I l-love you too."

"Okay good. Now as for you pissing me the hell off, you're still spending the night on the couch for getting arrested. Mama's still mad." Diego pouted dramatically.

"Awwwwww c-c'mon D-dora?! I just s-s-spent all day i-in j-jail. I want to s-s-s-s-sleep with my girlfriend." Patch smiled softly, touched by the sentiment, but unmoving, still sitting on his lap a little with her knees on either side of his legs. She looked down at him, placing her elbows on the couch above his shoulders, leaning in a little. 

"Shouldn't have gotten arrested, plus I think the couch would be better for you seeing you got your ass kicked by that jackass cop." She kissed him quickly and tenderly before twisting off of him to sit next to him for a moment.

Diego breathed a deep breath in, closing his eyes for a moment, not wanting to admit she was right. "It w-wasnt just the ccccop."

"Yeah well… I still stand by the point of you shouldn't have gotten arrested."

"Yeah yeah. L-look at you bein' always right a-and stuff."

"Look at you finally learning that I'm always right." She joked, grabbing the pillow next to her and flinging it into Diego's stomach. He smiled with a small chuckle. "And there's my favorite smile."

"Oh.. hush." Diego wrapped his arms around the pillow a little, gripping onto it tightly with his hands.

"I'm still sorry about going off on you earlier. I was just angry. We always seem to work it out though. Always. That's what makes us so good you know?" Patch stood, stretching and yawning loudly.

"Y-yeah. It does." Diego grabbed Patch's wrist gently, pulling her hand to his lips and kissing her knuckles before letting her go. "Things always seem to work out for the best be-b'tween us."

"And we'll continue to always try right? At least try. Finish out these conversations a little more now?"

"Yeah….I can work w-with that. I'll try not to get arrested again."

"See now that's not don't you're going to try no tot do, but something you WILL do or I will kill you." Diego laughed, yawning himself as he started unbuckling his knife harnesses. 

"Well now that is something you can try."

"Diego...go the hell to sleep." She shook her head still smiling as she rounded the corner to head up the stairs to their bedroom. "Yell if you need anything."

"Oh trust m-me I will. Any chance to annoy you is a chance I'll take, Babydoll."


End file.
